1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computing systems and more particularly to a hand held computer with an opaque display utilized to allow a viewer to see a rendered wire frame model of an object in the context of a video display of surroundings where a real object might be placed.
2. Description of Related Art
Consumers often find that goods they have purchased, once placed in the target environment, prove to be unsatisfactory. For example, although the size and color of a particular object may be described in a traditional printed catalog or available from an on-line catalog over a network such as the Internet""s World Wide Web, consumers may be disappointed after purchase, when the object is actually placed in the consumer""s home or other target environment.
Computerized two-dimensional images of retail objects are known but provide the consumer with little sense of the object""s size or with what degree of success the object would integrate into the destination environment. This is especially true of xe2x80x9ccustomxe2x80x9d items where no corresponding physical sample exists.
Virtual reality systems allow the consumer, while wearing an uncomfortable helmet, to see a three-dimensional stereo representation of an object within an artificial environment, but suffers similar limitations.
A videotape entitled xe2x80x9cStarfirexe2x80x9d was produced by SunSoft in 1994. It depicted a portable hand held computing device called the SunPad. Using an flat-panel opaque screen, the SunPad displayed images captured by a separate (and remote) camera. The SunPad was used to remotely control the camera, i.e. the camera movements were controlled by the user and the SunPad""s display was continually updated so that it became a remote display for the camera""s output. The SunPad depicted in the videotape did not allow the consumer to change the context in which objects were viewed.
The techniques described above all suffer the same limitation: the inability of the consumer to view a representation of an object within an environment, or context, where it would normally be used. This inability denies consumers significant relevant information which leads, in turn, to bad purchases (e.g. xe2x80x9cThe microwave oven sticks out over the edge of the counter!xe2x80x9d) and subsequent returns.
Being able to view the object in context enhances the buying experience for the consumer and reduces costs of returns and exchanges for the seller. The consumers ability to make better buying decisions when interacting with electronic marketing forums such as the World Wide Web will promote widespread acceptance of retail electronic commerce.
The present invention provides apparatus, systems, processes and computer program products which permits the user, after acquiring a three-dimensional representation of an object, to place, move and rotate that representation of the object (virtual object) within the user""s environment. This is accomplished using a hand-held computing device with an opaque flat-panel display and with location sensors, providing the x, y, z, roll, pitch and yaw coordinates of the computing device with respect to a reference coordinate system. In said copending application, to obtain a full three-dimensional stereo view of the object, the three-dimensional representation needed to be viewed through shuttered glasses or through red-blue 3-D viewing glasses. However, in accordance with this invention, the complexity of a full 3D stereo viewing system is avoided while maintaining many of the benefits of the system described in the copending application.
In accordance with the invention, a video camera is placed on the back of a hand held computer display in order to capture a view of the surroundings in which an object to be viewed will be placed. A rendered three dimensional wire frame model of a product which is desired to be viewed in the context of its surroundings is received from a vendor of the product. A position in the three dimensional space of the environment is marked and the wire frame model is rotated and scaled to as to appear to be placed at that position. A two dimensional perspective view of the rendered wire frame model is continuously updated to reflect changes in position and view so that the view of the product and the view of the environment are correct as a user wall walks around in the environment. Since both the 2 dimensional perspective view of the wire frame and the view of the surroundings captured by the video camera are in the same focal plane, there is no need for stereo red/blue glasses or for shuttered glasses.
These novel features of the invention provide users with the ability to see the virtual object in the actual target environment at its real size and shape merely by looking through the transparent pad.
The invention relates to apparatus for displaying a two dimensional view of a three dimensional representation of an object in the context of an environment in which the object might be placed, including a video camera capturing a view of the environment, a computing device with a display, and a device for measuring distance between the computing device and a location in the environment, in which the computing device is configured to display a two dimensional image of the object together with the view of the environment. The device for measuring distance includes at least one telemetry sender, removably attached to the computing device, and at least one telemetry receiver. The computing device is configured to fix the three dimensional representation at the location and to display a two dimensional view of the object and to change the orientation of the three dimensional representation at the location under user control.
The invention is also directed to a method for displaying a two dimensional view of a three dimensional representation of an object, by displaying a two dimensional projection of a three dimensional representation of the object, determining a distance from a display of the computing device to a location at which the object should appear to be located, and adjusting the display of the object to appear to be positioned at the location. A video camera captures the environment in which the object might be placed and displays an image of the environment on the display with the display of the object. The three dimensional representation may be downloaded from another computing device.
The invention also relates to a system for displaying a two dimensional view of a three dimensional representation of an object in the context of an environment in which the object might be placed, including a source of one or more three dimensional representations of objects, and a computing device for displaying a two dimensional view of a three dimensional representation of an object in the context of an environment in which the object might be placed.
The invention also relates to a method for accessing information about items available for acquisition, by retrieving at least one three dimensional representation of one of the items, and displaying at least one two dimensional perspective view of the three dimensional representation on a display together with a view of the environment, whereby the two dimensional perspective view can be viewed in context with an environment in which the one of the items might be used.
The invention is also directed to a system for accessing information about items available for acquisition, including a network, a first storage device containing at least one three dimensional representation of one of the items connected to the network, a computing device connected to the network, configured to download three dimensional representations and to display two dimensional perspective views of them, and a device for measuring distance between a display screen and a location in the environment of the computing device. The computing device displays two dimensional perspective views of the three dimensional representations at the location with a scale determined by the distance between the display screen and the location in the environment.
The invention is also directed to a computer program product including a memory medium, and a computer program stored on the memory medium containing instructions for displaying a three dimensional representation of an object with sizing and orientation appropriate to a location in the environment of a computer upon which the program is to run together with an image of the environment.